I’ll admit it, I only came to the University of Alabama because I was immensely excited about going to football games on a Saturday afternoon, dressed in crimson, and screaming “Roll Tide” at the top of my lungs.

I think every student that comes to the University really only comes here because of our football program, even if they say otherwise. I mean, why wouldn’t they? The University has 16 national championship football titles, we only recruit the best football players in the nation, and not to mention, Coach Saban is pretty nice to look at.

A game day on Alabama’s campus is an experience like no other. There are thousands and thousands of people dressed in matching crimson and houndstooth. The quad is filled with college students and Tuscaloosa natives tailgating and funneling beer down their throats while screaming “Roll Tide” at any passerby. Then game time rolls around and Bryant Denny Stadium is filled to the brim with a stampede of eager students trying to get the closest seat to the field.

Sounds fun, right?

My game day experience freshman year was one to remember. As someone who’s never been to a college football game before, these Saturdays were the best days of the year and the ones I looked forward to the most.

But now I’m no longer a freshman and frankly, I find that going to Alabama games annoying and boring.

Before you tell me I’m insane and come running to my house with pitchforks, let me explain.

I’ve heard a countless number of students say that being an Alabama fan is boring, but it’s just not an opinion people vocalized because football is literally the biggest institution on UA’s campus.

Let me explain why I’m completely uninterested in attending Alabama football games anymore.

1. We win every. Single. Game.

There’s no questioning that we have the best football program in the country, and I will ALWAYS root for the Tide no matter what. But what’s the point of paying money for a ticket to a game you already know the outcome of? The Crimson Tide always blows the other team out of the water. Rarely do we ever come across an opponent that actually puts up a fight and presents us with a good game.

There are, however, some exceptions to this rule, like the 2017 National Championship game against Clemson (still upset about that) and the 2015 and 2016 games against Ole Miss. The majority of the other games have been blowouts.

Coach Saban once said that he’s upset with the student body at Alabama because he thinks students don’t support the team since everyone leaves during or after the first half. But it’s tough to stick out a full game in the Alabama heat while wearing heels with your makeup melting off when you already know your team is going to win.

Case in point.

While other school’s don’t have as good of a team as we do, they usually experience more “nailbiting” games because that’s what happens when you put one “subpar” team against another, you usually don’t know who’s going to win.

2. The main "event" isn't even the game, it's the partying before and after it.

A lot of the time, the students at Alabama only get excited about game days because it’s another excuse for them to dress up and get belligerently drunk.

It’s annoying when I’m trying to watch a game, but because some drunk frat guy is hitting me in the face with a crimson shaker over and over again, I can’t. (which actually happened, by the way). The student section at games is always riddled with drunk kids who are completely rude, projectile vomiting and are constantly trying to hide from the police officers so they don’t get arrested for underage drinking.

I get it, getting drunk is the norm on a college campus. Trust me, I’m all about going out on a Friday night and throwing some drinks back. But when I’m wearing my game day outfit that I put time and money into planning, I don’t want to have to worry about John from Apple Sigma Pi barfing all over it. Frankly, it’s annoying that I have to even worry about that.

3. The stands are riddled with people trying to get a picture.

For much of the UA student population, the goal for any game day Saturday is to get the best selfie. Not cheering on the Tide, but getting an “Instagram worthy” picture. It’s boring going to a game when the majority of the student population is only worried about getting the “right” picture of themselves in Bryant-Denny Stadium rather than watching the actual game.

I can’t tell you how many time I’ve had to stand and wait on the steps of the stadium because some sorority girls wanted to get a good picture, and God forbid I interrupt them... or when I’m constantly asked to take a picture of a group of girls I don’t even know. I’d much rather watch the game somewhere else with REAL fans that are more concerned about Jalen Hurts throwing a good pass instead of a group of girls standing in the stands trying to figure out which filter makes them look “hotter.”

4. Over half the girls in the stadium don't even understand football.

Let’s be real, there are some girls that attend UA that actually know and understand football. But then there’s the rest of the female population that actually has no idea what a “forward pass” even is. They just come to this school because it’s popular and it has the biggest Greek life system.

So it makes sense that the girls who don’t understand football only go to the games because everyone else is doing it.

Having to hear the chirping of a clueless girl saying “what just happened?” or “OMG explain what’s happening” every 20 minutes is the most annoying thing when I’m trying to watch a game. I don’t want to have to explain what’s happening when I’m trying to celebrate a good play that you were too clueless to understand.

* * *

With all of this being said, let me be clear: I LOVE THE CRIMSON TIDE and I will forever support Alabama.

If anyone has Alabama pride, it’s me. I’m the only Alabama fan in a sea of FSU loving family members, but that doesn’t mean that experiencing the same thing over and over again doesn’t get old after a while. As a senior, I’m just tired of some of the immature acts college kids can bring to a football game. But that doesn’t mean you won’t catch me screaming “Roll Tide” and watching Alabama kick some tail.